# Rumor Mill SCHIP



## Doogie (Oct 15, 2007)

I will deny where and how I heard this. this bill will pass. Its a done deal.
$0.40 a cigar
I heard this through a good source. take it for all its worth. not as bad as i thought it was going to be.


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## ctiicda (Jun 19, 2008)

I can handle that... much better than any other numbers i have heard!


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## Skystorm82 (Sep 14, 2007)

Honestly, I'm getting pretty sick and tired of all these taxes. 

Ya it's better than what we've heard but how many different taxes are we going to end up with? Isn't it bad enough that 30%...40% already get taken out of your pay check for taxes? My local sales tax is going up to 8.75% 

Yup....I'm getting pretty damn tired of taxes.


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## baba (Nov 5, 2007)

Skystorm82 said:


> Honestly, I'm getting pretty sick and tired of all these taxes.
> 
> Ya it's better than what we've heard but how many different taxes are we going to end up with? Isn't it bad enough that 30%...40% already get taken out of your pay check for taxes? My local sales tax is going up to 8.75%
> 
> Yup....I'm getting pretty damn tired of taxes.


I agree with you. I also am getting tired of being hit up for more money. Especially for a bad reason, or bill.


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## The EVP (Dec 21, 2007)

Skystorm82 said:


> Honestly, I'm getting pretty sick and tired of all these taxes.
> 
> Ya it's better than what we've heard but how many different taxes are we going to end up with? Isn't it bad enough that 30%...40% already get taken out of your pay check for taxes? My local sales tax is going up to 8.75%
> 
> Yup....I'm getting pretty damn tired of taxes.


I'm on the fence. In one way, a 35 cent increase isn't going to to be too bad. However, I wish the government would cut spending instead of increasing taxes. Fix the loopholes in the programs we already have, make it harder for people to take advantage of thsoe loopholes and there wouldn't be a need for increased taxes.


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## GoinFerSmoke (Jan 1, 2007)

I am sure they will keep adding to it yearly though...


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## Doogie (Oct 15, 2007)

GoinFerSmoke said:


> I am sure they will keep adding to it yearly though...


this is why we all need to belong to CRA


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## The EVP (Dec 21, 2007)

Doogie said:


> this is why we all need to belong to CRA


Already do....signed up the first day the website went live.


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## Rusty Shackleford (May 14, 2008)

Yea for some reason I was thinking that they would add at least $3 to every cigar but honestly I'm not that upset with $.40. I have heard that there will be a new tax on cigars so if was inevitable....


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## havanitascigars-cl (Apr 29, 2007)

Rusty Shackleford said:


> Yea for some reason I was thinking that they would add at least $3 to every cigar but honestly I'm not that upset with $.40. I have heard that there will be a new tax on cigars so if was inevitable....


This is why we get screwed. Not being upset about 40 cents because it is less than $3.

Did you all know that of the $700 billion Congress passed for the Wall Street bailout [which, by the way, was not even passed legally according to the Constitution] against the voter's wishes, $125 million will be used to pay Christmas bonuses this year? Did you also know that as the Justice Department plans on bringing charges against bank executives, the legal fees the executives accrue will be paid out of that tax payer money?

Our government has become too willing to spend our money, and we have become too complacent to tell them to stop it.

Despite Congress having the lowest approval rating in history, over 90% of incumbents are still re-elected. No wonder they do not worry about stealing from the public. We do not hold them accountable for their actions.

Sorry to get political, but it is getting out of hand.


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## PV1191 (Dec 9, 2007)

With the budget problems Cali is having it won't be long before ours are raised. You would think that 47% at retail would be enough.


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## mc2712 (Mar 14, 2008)

Once the government has a tax, it will NEVER go away. Thats on top of the city, county and other tax that is already being collected. Government should learn to use what they are receiving already and not spend more then is being collected.

$0.40 a cigar
$8 to $10 a box


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## happy1 (Jun 29, 2007)

Skystorm82 said:


> Honestly, I'm getting pretty sick and tired of all these taxes.
> 
> Ya it's better than what we've heard but how many different taxes are we going to end up with? Isn't it bad enough that 30%...40% already get taken out of your pay check for taxes? My local sales tax is going up to 8.75%
> 
> Yup....I'm getting pretty damn tired of taxes.


:anim_soapbox:Amen brutha...preach it!!! but everybody is afraid to have a political thread because someone might get mad...big deal!!If we don't discuss where politians stand on issues so how are we going to defeat this????:anim_soapbox:


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## shrtcrt (Jan 29, 2006)

A new tax does suck! Any raise can be bad, but we have to look at the bright side, an extra .40 a stick will not stop up from smoking or have that bad of an impact.


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## mhlatke (Oct 13, 2007)

I'm no fan of new/increased taxes, but $0.40/stick is way better than the $3 or more that was being thrown around. Now I don't have to stock up quite as much!


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## goyankees (May 16, 2008)

I just looked up the actual bill online.. and the way it reads now... 

It is 44% plus $1.00 per stick. 

However, doogie is the 2nd person to state .40 cents. Wonder if the bill is being re-written.


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## havanitascigars-cl (Apr 29, 2007)

mhlatke said:


> I'm no fan of new/increased taxes, but $0.40/stick is way better than the $3 or more that was being thrown around. Now I don't have to stock up quite as much!


I had a typo in my last post... Wall Street bonuses this year, to be paid by taxpayer dollars, is $25 BILLION! We should not go quietly into paying a higher tax. If SCHIP needs to be funded so badly, then take the money Congress is giving to banks so they can pay bonuses, throw parties, do mergers, and pass off their losses to the public. 40 cents is a big deal when the money is readily available from other sources.

BTW: The bill on that $700 billion crossed over $2.5 TRILLION last week. Over three times the amount Congress authorized. Wait until that tax increase hits cigars.


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## mhlatke (Oct 13, 2007)

havanitascigars said:


> I had a typo in my last post... Wall Street bonuses this year, to be paid by taxpayer dollars, is $25 BILLION! We should not go quietly into paying a higher tax. If SCHIP needs to be funded so badly, then take the money Congress is giving to banks so they can pay bonuses, throw parties, do mergers, and pass off their losses to the public. 40 cents is a big deal when the money is readily available from other sources.
> 
> BTW: The bill on that $700 billion crossed over $2.5 TRILLION last week. Over three times the amount Congress authorized. Wait until that tax increase hits cigars.


Believe me, I agree with you and am totally against new taxes and government waste. HOWEVER, the reality is that they will pass new taxes and my point was that $0.40 feels like a win compared to $3 - it's like choosing between getting hit w/a hammer or getting hit w/a truck. You're gonna get hit either way but which will hurt the least?


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## Rusty Shackleford (May 14, 2008)

havanitascigars said:


> This is why we get screwed. Not being upset about 40 cents because it is less than $3.
> 
> Did you all know that of the $700 billion Congress passed for the Wall Street bailout [which, by the way, was not even passed legally according to the Constitution] against the voter's wishes, $125 million will be used to pay Christmas bonuses this year? Did you also know that as the Justice Department plans on bringing charges against bank executives, the legal fees the executives accrue will be paid out of that tax payer money?
> 
> ...


No, there's nothing wrong with getting political I know the rules say whatever but the way I see it is the government is going to tax us no matter what. That doesn't mean we all have to take it laying down however I'm am a little grateful that it's not $3-$10. We can all still call our Congressman about it but right now I'll take $.40 over $3.

And the government wasting taxpayers money isn't a new thing, spending is way out of control both domestically and internationally.


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## havanitascigars-cl (Apr 29, 2007)

But we do have power to stop it. It is called not electing incumbents. Did you know that during the last three congressional elections, even though Congress has had the lowest approval rating in three decades, over 90% of incumbents won? 

There is no motivation for them to change if we, The People, do not hold them accountable and allow them to keep their jobs. If you do not like taxes like this, then vote the bums out of office. Believe me... if we could amass the populace to vote against these scoundrels, then you would see change. Our apathetic society is too complacent in believing "taxes are going up no matter what, so better a small tax than a big one." 

In the 1980s some states experimented with putting the fines for speeding on speed limit signs. They thought if they did so, then people would say, "Wow. That is a lot of money. I'm slowing down." The opposite happened. People instead said, "$100?! I can afford that. Plus, I probably will not get caught every time." The result was speeding violations increased.

We are doing the same thing now. Congress puts out the story they will raise cigar taxes $10 per stick and everyone is outraged. Then they come back with $3 per stick, or 40 cents per stick maybe, and the reaction is, "Well at least it is less than $10." All they did was sell us on the idea that we received a bargain.


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## tekhnu (Jun 10, 2007)

I feel you on that one. They were probably intending to go with $.40 all along. I think no tax above what's already there is the way to go. Even $.40 a stick is too much if you ask me. If they want to tax something that has a health risk it should be Fast Food. That $hit kills more people than almost anything out there.



havanitascigars said:


> But we do have power to stop it. It is called not electing incumbents. Did you know that during the last three congressional elections, even though Congress has had the lowest approval rating in three decades, over 90% of incumbents won?
> 
> There is no motivation for them to change if we, The People, do not hold them accountable and allow them to keep their jobs. If you do not like taxes like this, then vote the bums out of office. Believe me... if we could amass the populace to vote against these scoundrels, then you would see change. Our apathetic society is too complacent in believing "taxes are going up no matter what, so better a small tax than a big one."
> 
> ...


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## goyankees (May 16, 2008)

There is no information anywhere that it will be 40cents. I can't get why this is becoming "fact".

http://www.letstalkcigars.com/


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## boomerd35 (Apr 24, 2007)

tekhnu said:


> If they want to tax something that has a health risk it should be Fast Food. That $hit kills more people than almost anything out there.


To go even further, they should only tax the .99 cent menus. Any food that is sold for .99 HAS to be made of things that are cheap and not good for you. So your junior cheesburger will be 1.39. That's still not bad IMHO.


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## GotaCohiba (Aug 20, 2007)

$.40 is not good at all!!! It's just the beginning even if it's true.


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## happy1 (Jun 29, 2007)

boomerd35 said:


> To go even further, they should only tax the .99 cent menus. Any food that is sold for .99 HAS to be made of things that are cheap and not good for you. So your junior cheesburger will be 1.39. That's still not bad IMHO.


Too true!!


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## CHRIS7891011 (Apr 1, 2007)

Well look at it this way... weed will be legal in a few years and cigars illegal... or taxed so far no one can afford them. Time to buy a bong.


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## boomerd35 (Apr 24, 2007)

CHRIS7891011 said:


> Well look at it this way... weed will be legal in a few years and cigars illegal... or taxed so far no one can afford them. Time to buy a bong.


You're right. Cigar manufacturers need so start growing a different kind of leaf.


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## Doogie (Oct 15, 2007)

nyisles said:


> There is no information anywhere that it will be 40cents. I can't get why this is becoming "fact".
> 
> http://www.letstalkcigars.com/


I said rumor mill. when the assholes come back to Washington they will pass it at $.40


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## shroom91 (Mar 17, 2008)

thats is a given... stick it to the little guys...bastards


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## dinoa2 (Feb 7, 2008)

:anim_soapbox:whats going on with the latest news. one of the big retailers in north carolina is having a S chip sale and on other boards the word seems to be that this is going to pass and the only question is how much a cigar is going to raise with the tax. 

what happened to Obama being smoke friendly and why no call to arms like there was last fall when some retailers were talking about lobbying etc. if it goes up a $1 per smoke, it seems like this would be crippling to the industry and customers. my .02 for the day


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## DBCcigar (Apr 24, 2008)

I heard $.45 per stick. I can handle that!


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## Doogie (Oct 15, 2007)

dinoa2 said:


> :anim_soapbox:whats going on with the latest news. one of the big retailers in north carolina is having a S chip sale and on other boards the word seems to be that this is going to pass and the only question is how much a cigar is going to raise with the tax.
> 
> what happened to Obama being smoke friendly and why no call to arms like there was last fall when some retailers were talking about lobbying etc. if it goes up a $1 per smoke, it seems like this would be crippling to the industry and customers. my .02 for the day


I think they are trying to use fear factor to increase sales


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## BigBuddha76 (Mar 15, 2005)

Doogie said:


> I think they are trying to use fear factor to increase sales


ding ding ding...we have a winner. fear sells.


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## goyankees (May 16, 2008)

OK the current bill reads as follows...

53% tax with a 3.00 max.
No Floor Tax.

The lobbyists in DC are telling cigar manufactures they expect the tax to be dropped to 40 cents a stick. 

We shall see.


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## sboyajian (Jun 27, 2008)

so about 5 bucks on the box.. I guess that's tolerable.


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## pit bull-cl (Dec 28, 2008)

Always sticking it to the little guy. They don't mind taking money from the working man and give it to the fools. :ballchain:


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## Hot Stuff x (Jan 2, 2009)

I'm stocking up now to avoid the tax. Even if it come in low (or not at all) I'll have a head start on aging my stash


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## buttah (Jun 9, 2008)

My understanding was that the Dems pulled back the bill as it was written at before. It was becoming clearer they would win a larger majority in congress and most likely the White House. Both of those things have come true so why would they have pulled the old bill back? Surely not to lower the amount. From everything I read and was told by our Republican representative's office, the Dems completely intend on starting back at the beginning $10.


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## Camacho Junior (May 29, 2008)

.45 here, a nickel there, dime here. Soon it will be illegal. Alcohol was at one point.


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## The EVP (Dec 21, 2007)

You know, I don't know why some cigar smokers are viewing this as a victory and are happy about it. The Dems lowering the tax to 40 cents is just a way of delaying the inevitable....they bought time and are trying to fool us into thinking that we won. Folks, we didn't win sh*T....we got bought for 40 cents.


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## Raybird (Oct 17, 2008)

I just got a catalogue from JR announcing an "S-CHIP EMERGENCY SALE". They are eliminating a lot of inventory at wholesale or below - the owner states he believes the final tax will amount to $1.00 per stick. 45 cents, a buck, three bucks, whatever it turns out to be it's bad news for us!


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## Doogie (Oct 15, 2007)

Just heard this today. the dems put everything back on the table. anywhere from $.50
to a $1. its going to be the first bill Obama signs.
this just plain sucks


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## BigBuddha76 (Mar 15, 2005)

time to start calling and writing e-mails and letters...start stopping by the local office of your rep...do everything to show them we wont take this lying down.


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## buttah (Jun 9, 2008)

OK its somewhat official.

http://www.capwiz.com/rtda/issues/alert/?alertid=12162376


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## Raybird (Oct 17, 2008)

Thanks for the info!


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## Cigahs-cl (Apr 30, 2007)

Here's the actual bill... in all its glory.

http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:h2ih.txt.pdf

Reading the whole thing will make your head spin. If you want the nitty gritty on how it affects cigar pricing, go to section 701 on page #271.

This is a change in the import tax. It used to be 20.719% of the import price with a cap of $48.75 per thousand (approx 5 cents a cigar) and has been changed to 52.4% with a cap of 40 cents a cigar ($400 per thousand!!). In short, we (industry importers), can expect an increase of 35 cents per cigar when it arrives at port.

Truthfully, it may not affect the premium cigar business too drastically but the bundle and little cigar (Mac Ascots, Agio, and just about anything in a small pack or tin) businesses will be devastated after April 1st.

Once again, if it's cheap cigars or tins you want, buy them now and buy plenty.

I'll also add that this bill has not been passed by the house yet. They're voting on it tomorrow and is expected to pass quickly with little or no change. I hear the senate may take longer.

Humberto


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## dinoa2 (Feb 7, 2008)

if it passes, when would it take effect


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## Cigahs-cl (Apr 30, 2007)

dinoa2 said:


> if it passes, when would it take effect


April 1st, 2009 (Page 277)


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## mc2712 (Mar 14, 2008)

This is a cartoon I found that describes what this SCHIP crap is all about.


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## CubanoLou (Jun 2, 2007)

I think we all need to stand together and see what could be done, by signatures, phone calls what ever it takes.


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## Cigahs-cl (Apr 30, 2007)

CubanoLou said:


> I think we all need to stand together and see what could be done, by signatures, phone calls what ever it takes.


Won't help much now. This is basically a done deal.


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## nativetexan_1 (Jan 1, 2008)

Thanks for this link. Reading the bill is MUCH more informative than "opinions" of the bill.


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